Collapsible three-dimensional hollow ornamental structures

Abstract

A polyhedrally shaped collapsible ornamental hollow structure having a fully enclosed hollow interior is made from a blank cut from a single sheet of folding board or like sheet material, the blank having a dual cruciform (Greek cross-like) configuration and being provided with a plurality of longitudinal, transverse and oblique scores to enable it to be folded and glued. The hollow structure remains in the collapsed state as long as a restraining pressure is applied thereto in a direction substantially perpendicular to the opposite front and back faces of the hollow structure, but when such restraining pressure is removed the hollow structure is automatically deployed into its expanded state by virtue of a compressive force applied circumferentially to the hollow structure by an elastic band equatorially encircling the sides of the hollow structure. The blank at the intersections of its respective longitudinal and transverse blank portions has respective central square regions defining the front and back faces of the hollow structure, and each central square region is surrounded by a series of outer right triangular regions defining the side faces of the hollow structure. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the central square region defining at least the front face of the hollow structure is provided with slits in its corner regions to permit a photograph to be releasably attached to the hollow structure.

I claim: 
     
       1. A three-dimensional polyhedrally shaped collapsible hollow ornamental structure which has opposite substantially flat front and back faces and a plurality of side faces, said hollow ornamental structure being made from a single blank of folding board or paperboard: (a) said blank comprising (i) a longitudinal rectangular blank portion having opposite terminal end edges and a longitudinal center line,   (ii) a medial transverse score line formed in said longitudinal blank portion and dividing said longitudinal blank portion into first and second halves each extending from said medial transverse score line to a respective one of said opposite terminal end edges of said longitudinal blank portion, and   (iii) first and second transverse rectangular blank portions each of which perpendicularly intersects and extends beyond opposite longitudinal side edges of a respective one of said first and second halves of said longitudinal blank portion, each of said first and second transverse rectangular blank portions being located midway between said medial transverse score line and said terminal end edge of a respective one of said first and second halves of said longitudinal blank portion, and each of said first and second transverse blank portions terminating at respective opposite free ends thereof,   (iv) each of said first and second halves of said longitudinal blank portion and its respective associated first and second transverse blank portions defining respective first and second main polygonal sections of said blank, and   (v) each of said first and second main polygonal sections of said blank being, by virtue of the disposition relative thereto of the respective one of said first and second transverse blank portions, identically cruciform in shape, and said first and second main polygonal sections of said blank being, by virtue of the disposition relative thereto of said medial transverse score line, hingedly connected to and foldable over against each other along said medial transverse score line;     (b) each of said first and second main polygonal sections of said blank, at the respective intersection of said first and second half of said longitudinal blank portions with the respective first and second transverse blank portions, including (i) a respective one of said first and second central square regions each having boundaries which are defined by respective first and second sets of four mutually perpendicularly intersecting oblique score lines formed in said blank and oriented to dispose one diagonal of said first central square region colinearly with one diagonal of said second central square region on said longitudinal center line of said blank, and   (ii) a respective one of said first and second outer surfaces overlying one of said first and second central square regions and, in the folded state of said blank, constituting said front face or said back face of said hollow ornamental structure;     (c) each of said first and second main polygonal sections of said blank further including a respective plurality of first right triangular outer regions and second right triangular outer regions, (i) said first right triangular outer regions being disposed circumferentially of said first central square region of said first main polygonal section and having respective hypotenuse side edges hingedly connected to respective parts of side edges of said first central square region by parts of the respectively associated first set of oblique score lines,   (ii) said second right triangular outer regions being disposed circumferentially of said second central square region of said second main polygonal section and having respective hypotenuse side edges hingedly connected to respective parts of side edges of said second central square region by parts of the respectively associated second set of oblique score lines, and   (iii) two of said first right triangular outer regions which are located between said first central square region and said medial transverse score line having respective leg side edges hingedly connected by said medial transverse score line to corresponding leg side edges of two of said second right triangular outer regions which are located between said second central square region and said medial transverse score line;     (d) said first main polygonal section of said blank further including (i) a transverse terminal score line at the respective terminal end edge of said first half of said longitudinal blank portion, and respective longitudinal terminal score lines at said opposite free ends of said first transverse blank portion, said terminal score lines defining outwardly directed leg side edges of said first right triangular outer regions other than said two first right triangular outer regions, and   (ii) a plurality of outwardly extending tabs hingedly connected at respective inwardly directed side edges thereof by respective ones of said longitudinal or transverse terminal score lines to corresponding ones of said outwardly directed leg side edges of said first right triangular outer regions other than said two first right triangular outer regions; and     (e) said tabs having configurations and sizes such that (i) each tab has an outline not greater than a respective one of said second right triangular outer regions,   (ii) each tab is adapted, upon said blank being folded along said medial transverse score line so as to direct said first and second outer surfaces of said first and second main polygonal sections away from one another, to be folded over along its associated terminal score line into surface to surface engagement with at least a portion of said respective one of said second right triangular outer regions, and   (iii) each tab is adapted, upon application of glue either to a surface of that tab or to a corresponding surface of that respective one of said second right triangular outer regions or to both of the surfaces, to be bonded to that respective one of said second right triangular outer regions,     (f) whereby, upon said tabs being so bonded to said respective ones of said second right triangular outer regions, said blank is transformed into said collapsible hollow structure which is initially in a flat substantially two-dimensional state and can be expanded into a three-dimensional hollow state upon circumferential application of an inwardly directed compressive force to said first and second right triangular outer regions for displacing said first and second right triangular outer regions inwardly of said first and second central square regions and for concurrently displacing said first and second central square regions perpendicularly away from each other, and whereby, upon expansion of said hollow structure into its three-dimensional state, said first and second outer surfaces of said first and second central square regions define, respectively, said front and back faces of said hollow structure, and said first and second right triangular outer regions define at least parts of said side faces of said hollow structure.   
     
     
       2. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an elastic band which, when said tabs are bonded to said respective ones of said second right triangular outer regions, generally equatorially tightly encircles said hollow ornamental structure and applies said inwardly directed compressive force to said first and second right triangular outer regions of said hollow ornamental structure and urges said hollow ornamental structure into its expanded three-dimensional state. 
     
     
       3. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said blank is provided in a midregion of said medial transverse score line with a small slit in which a portion of said encircling elastic band is accommodated for ensuring retention of said elastic band in place on said hollow ornamental structure. 
     
     
       4. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein mutually confronting small portions of respective paired ones of said tabs where each pair adjoins an associated one of said terminal score lines are removed, thereby to form in the respective midregion of each of said terminal score lines a respective additional small slit in each of which an additional portion of said encircling elastic band is accommodated for ensuring retention of said elastic band in place on said hollow ornamental structure. 
     
     
       5. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein said tabs are generally right triangular in shape. 
     
     
       6. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein said right triangular outer regions and said tabs have the shape of isosceles right triangles. 
     
     
       7. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 6, wherein a corner region of each tab at the juncture between a hypotenuse side edge thereof and an inwardly directed leg side edge thereof is removed, thereby to form in a respective midregion of each of said terminal score lines a respective additional small slit in each of which an additional portion of said encircling elastic band is accommodated for ensuring retention of said elastic band in place on said hollow ornamental structure. 
     
     
       8. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second main polygonal sections of said blank further includes, within the boundaries of the associated one of said first and second central square regions, a respective plurality of interior score lines some of which coincide with diagonals of that central square region and others of which are medially perpendicular to opposite parallel sides of that central square region, thereby to impart a generally star-like appearance to the associated one of said front and back faces of said hollow ornamental structure and to said hollow ornamental structure as a whole when the latter is expanded to its three-dimensional state. 
     
     
       9. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an elastic band generally equatorially tightly encircling said hollow ornamental structure and applying said inwardly directed compressive force to said first and second right triangular outer regions of said hollow ornamental structure and urging the latter into its expanded three-dimensional state, and said blank being provided in a midregion of said medial transverse score line with a small slit in which a portion of said encircling elastic band is accommodated for ensuring retention of said elastic band in place on said hollow ornamental structure. 
     
     
       10. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second main polygonal sections of said blank further includes, within the boundaries of the associated one of said first and second central square regions, a respective plurality of interior score lines some of which coincide with diagonals of that central square region and others of which are medially perpendicular to opposite parallel sides of that central square region, thereby to impart a generally star-like appearance to each of said front and back faces of said hollow ornamental structure and to said hollow ornamental structure as a whole when the latter is expanded to its three-dimensional state. 
     
     
       11. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 10, further comprising an elastic band generally equatorially tightly encircling said hollow ornamental structure and applying said inwardly directed compressive force to said first and second right triangular outer regions of said hollow ornamental structure and urging the latter into its expanded three-dimensional state, and said blank being provided in a midregion of said medial transverse score line with a small slit in which a portion of said encircling elastic band is accommodated for ensuring retention of said elastic band in place on said hollow ornamental structure. 
     
     
       12. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blank is provided in a plurality of interior corner or side regions of at least one of said first and second central square regions thereof with a corresponding number of slits for releasably accommodating corner regions of a photograph or card. 
     
     
       13. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 12, wherein said blank is devoid of such slits in the other of said first and second central square regions. 
     
     
       14. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 12, wherein said slits are curved and are located each in a respective one of said corner regions of said at least one of said first and second central square regions. 
     
     
       15. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 14, wherein said slits are four in number, with each of said slits being located in a respective one of said corner regions of said at least one of said first and second central square regions. 
     
     
       16. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 15, wherein two of said four corner regions of said at least one of said first and second central square regions are located on a part of said longitudinal portion of said blank outside the confines of the associated one of said transverse blank portions, and the other two of said four corner regions of said at least one of said first and second central square regions are located on said associated transverse blank portion outside the confines of the associated part of said longitudinal blank portion, whereby upon said hollow ornamental structure being in its expanded three-dimensional state, the four corner regions of the associated one of said front and back faces of said hollow ornamental structure are bent relative to that front or back face in a direction toward the midplane of said hollow ornamental structure, and a photograph or card having its corner regions fitted into said slits assumes an arched configuration over that face of said hollow ornamental structure. 
     
     
       17. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least said first main polygonal section of said blank further includes, within the boundaries of the associated first central square region, a plurality of mutually perpendicular first interior score lines which coincide with straight lines running longitudinally or transversely of said blank from the midpoint of each side of said associated first central square region to the midpoint of each next adjacent side of said associated first central square region, said first interior score lines thereby defining within said associated first central square region the boundaries of a first inner square region which is rotated by 45° with respect to said associated first central square region. 
     
     
       18. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 17, wherein said blank in a plurality of interior corner regions of said first inner square region within said associated first central square region is provided with a corresponding number of slits for releasably accommodating corner regions of a photograph or card, each of said slits being straight and extending from one side of said first inner square region to the next adjacent side of said first inner square region. 
     
     
       19. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 18, wherein said blank in a plurality of interior corner regions of said associated first central square region within the latter but outside said first inner square region is provided with a corresponding number of additional slits for releasably accommodating corner regions of a photograph or card. 
     
     
       20. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 19, wherein said additional slits are curved. 
     
     
       21. A collapsible hollow ornamental structure as claimed in claim 17, wherein said second main polygonal section of said blank includes, within the respective boundaries of the associated second central square region, a respective plurality of mutually perpendicular second interior score lines which coincide with straight lines running longitudinally or transversely of said blank from the midpoint of each side of said associated second central square region to the midpoint of each next adjacent side of said associated second central square region, said second interior score lines thereby defining within said associated second central square region the boundaries of a second inner square region which is rotated by 45° with respect to said associated second central square region.